


What Was Taken From Me

by bioshockgirl96



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Eventual Fluff, Galra Keith (Voltron), Happy ending though, Hurt/Comfort, I swear, Light Torture, Mind Control, Possible Spoilers, and the galra know about keith, before seasons 2 finale, hmmmm, ill add more tags as i go on, keith and shiro got taken, lance rescues keith, shiro is forced to watch everything, this might become long idk, up to season 3, with like oogles of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2018-12-23 10:50:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11988282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioshockgirl96/pseuds/bioshockgirl96
Summary: When Keith and Shiro get taken after a very heated fight with the Galra, things seem to only get worse from there. It seems the Galra have resorted to some very dark tactics to get the lions, and Keith is the one who gets the short end of the stick. But when their methods seem a little personal, Keiths gets a makeover he really wasn't expecting or ready for.------orKeith and Shiro get taken by the Galra, they change Keiths appearance to be more Galran. Kuro is there and after they get rescued Lance and Shiro help Keith cope with his new look.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies. I hope you enjoy this dark yet eventually fluffy fic. I'm sorry, I'm just evil. I don't have anyone to beta so please forgive me if there are any errors in my writing. I try to read them over and fix them before I post, but sometimes I miss things. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! Even if it's you yelling at me because I'm hurting Keith, do it! I'll yell at myself with you.
> 
> Until then, enjoy!

**Shiro** .

There’s a pounding in his head, one he already knew formed because of a large trauma to his temple.  _ The butt of a gun.  _ He barely remembers anything from the fight before he was captured. It was just him, right? 

The room is dark around him as he slowly comes too, black walls and ceiling forming above him as his vision cleared out. Shiro tries to move his body, feeling something hard and cold against his back and legs, arms unable to move much as what felt like restraints held him down. The black paladin groans loudly, head rolling against the back of what he now assumed was a metal chair.

Shiro leans forward then, taking in a deep breath as he moved against his restraints, pulling as if he could break out of them in this weak state. Brown eyes move up and peer through thick white bangs, a sort of window in the wall across from him. It takes a few ticks and blinking past fog a few dozen times, but Shiro was finally able to make out what was on the other side of the window.

The room wasn’t any more exciting then his, only there was a metal table in the middle, and on the far back wall, a figure slumped with their shoulders hunched forward, knees pulled to his chest as a head of black hair leaned against the wall.

_ Keith _ . A sharp pain rattles Shiro, sitting up more in the chair, breath hitching and headache seeming to worsen.  _ What was Keith doing here? Had the Galra taken Keith too?  _

Shiro's eyes scanned his room again. There had to be a way to get out, he had to be able to get out and save Keith. The only thing he found was a large door behind him, but he didn’t have to try the door to know it was locked. 

_ “Hello?” _

Shiro’s head snaps back towards the window as he watches Keith. The black haired paladin still sits in the ground, but he’s looking around, panicked, afraid. 

“K-Keith.” Shiro breathes out, but he takes in another breath, deeper. “Keith!”

The red paladin doesn’t seem to respond to Shiro’s call and he feels ice creep into his stomach.  _ “Hey! Where am I?”  _ Keith calls out again, using the wall to stand. “ _ Hey! _ ”

Suddenly the door to Keiths room -his cell- opens with a loud bang as it slams into the wall. A Galran guard stands there, black stick in hand. Shiro looks at it for a moment, trying to figure out what that was. But then blue bolts of electricity danced around the rod and Shiro’s heart sank. “D-Don’t! Stop!” Shiro yells out, watching as the guard moves towards Keith.

_ “Get away from me!”  _ Keith shouts, backing fully into the wall, arms coming up just to cover his face and chest. Shiro noticed the cuffs and chains then, the boy's wrists held together and a chain dropping to the group before hiding behind the wall. The black paladin noticed something else too, a black collar tight around Keith's neck, a small lead falling to the boy’s chest. Shiro feels a shiver go down his spine.

“Stop!” Shiro yells again, but it’s as if they can’t hear him, his voice unable to penetrate the glass between them. 

He watches in horror as the guard swing the baton towards Keith, the boys scream filling the air around Shiro. The red paladin tumbles forward, unable to catch himself and falls hard on his side, a whine escaping him as his body shakes on the ground. Shiro is breathless as he watches. 

**Keith**

_ Pain.  _ It was the only thing he could concentrate on as his hands fisted in front of him, the cold ground seeming to sooth him as electricity crawls just under his skin. He lets out another groan before using his bound hands to push himself off the ground. Dark violet eyes meet the visor of a helmet as Keith raises his head, rage building in his stomach. “Fuck you.”

He watched as the guard brought the baton down again, Keith unable to block the blow and feels it full force on his shoulder, falling to his back with another scream. And then he feels the electricity crawling over his skin again, his body almost convulsing as he whined. That really fucking hurt. 

Keith is silent though as the guard stares down at him. He basically has to bite his tongue, trying to get all his anger across through an intense glare. His body was still shaking as the guard finally left, the moment the door slams closed, the red paladin let out a large breath, which turned into a whimper. 

“Ah, a-aahh.” Keith whined as he pushed himself towards the wall and used it to help pull himself up, before sitting against it with his back. “W-What the hell?” He hissed under his breath, blinking a few times to clear his eyes of tears. He was still shaking from the baton. 

He tried to remember what the hell led to his current predicament, closing his eyes and filtering through his memories. Was it a distress call? A mission to clear out Galra forces from a civilization? Keith couldn’t remember and it pissed him off, a groan leaving him as he opened his eyes. 

Deep violet eyes looked around the room, taking note of the small table in the middle of the room, the large mirror on the far wall, and a door just on the wall to the right of the mirror. He looked down at his wrists, letting them fall to his lap with another annoyed sound. That’s when he felt something on his neck, hand moving to allow fingers to brush against something hard, something rough that encircled his throat. Did he have a fucking collar on? “You have to be kidding me.”

**< >**

He didn’t have the best way to keep track of time, but he did find himself falling unconscious every now and then, but then there would be a loud sound and Keith would snap back awake, eyes wide and body ready for attack. 

It could have been minutes or hours, Keith had no fucking clue, but a sound at the door had the boy standing, taking a stance as if he could fight in his current condition. His body shook as he heard clicking sounds coming from the door just before the giant was shoved open light flooding in from the hall. And then…

“Shiro!” Relief was like a wave that washed over him as he felt himself moving towards the man. But the restraints on his wrists stopped his movement just as he was a few feet from Shiro and he could feel his stomach jumping. And then he looked at Shiro, and Shiro looked at him. 

Keith took a step back. “You’re not Shiro.” 

The man smiles, something catching in Keith’s throat as he watches a familiar face twist into a sickening grin. 

**Shiro**

Shiro had been just barely conscious when the door to Keith's cell opened, but he was up and wide eyed as he watched a figure walk in, waited to see who had come next to hurt Keith. What he saw only confused him.

_ “Shiro!” _ Keith moved towards the man as Shiro looked at the back of his own head.  _ What?  _ That couldn’t be real. This wasn’t real. Brown eyes didn’t advert from the scene though as he watched Keith’s face drop, small body moving back towards the corner of the room.  _ “You’re not Shiro.” _

He wasn’t sure what he felt when he heard those words, when Keith just  _ knew  _ that the Shiro standing in front of him wasn’t really Shiro, it wasn’t  _ him.  _ Pride maybe? Fear? Shock? Most definitely shock. 

_ “You’re fast.” _ The man spoke, and it sounded like Shiro but it didn’t. It was his voice but not his tone, it was too dark, hostile almost.  _ “I bet you don’t know where the real one is.” _

Keith took another step back, a mix of emotions surfacing on the boys face before he suppressed them.  _ “I bet you do.” _

**Keith**

He tried his best to keep his body still, to not allow it to shake and show his fear. Shiro was standing in front of him, right in front of him, but it wasn’t him. This wasn’t Shiro. Keith wasn’t sure what gave it away, maybe the look in his eyes, maybe the way he stood, he didn’t know. But he knew instantly that this wasn’t his Shiro. 

Unfamiliar brown eyes zoned in on Keith as Shiro, fake-Shiro?, moved closer into the room, the door shutting behind him. “I don’t know where he is, no one does.” He took another step forward, a sickening smirk on his face, eyes seeming to glow a faint yellow. “But I know where your Shiro is.” 

Keiths eyebrows rose at that, back straightening up a bit as he watched Shiro - not Shiro, Kuro? Kuro sounds good. “M-My Shiro?” He asked, completely confused by the statement. “T-The fuck are you talking about?”

Keith didn’t even have time to take a real breath before his back was suddenly slammed into the wall, hand rough and tight around his neck as his vision swam. He gasped, but it was choked off as violet met brown. Keith raised his hands to the one pressing into his neck, letting nails drag across skin. “G-Ge… o-off…” He tried to hiss out, but the venom didn’t come across. 

“I have a present for you.” Kuro spoke with a sickening sweet voice. Keith couldn’t say anything, only whined as his chest began to burn. It was as if Kuro knew this and loosened his grip just enough for Keith to take in a breath.

“ _ Fuck  _ you.” Keith hissed out as he glared into Kuro’s eyes. Yup, those were definitely yellow. “Fuck whatever present you go-.” He was cut off when Kuro’s hand tightened around his neck again. 

“I don’t like your tone.” Kuro said in a voice so low that it gave Keith chills. There was a look in his eyes, one that had ice running through Keiths veins as a whimper worked its way out of him. 

Then there was a hand in his hair and head was being pulled to the side, a shock of pain running over his scalp. There may have a been a yelp that left his mouth. He didn’t have time to protest or to even figure out what was going on before there was suddenly a needle in his neck, a gasp leaving him as his hand fisted. He could feel the way his veins seemed to burn starting from the injecting and moving throughout his body. 

Keith is yelling and fighting against Kuro as the needle is pulled out, but then he’s pulled forward by the collar on his neck and everything seemed to spin. He’s looking up to yellow eyes then, cheeks flushing as his breath began to slow. The lease to his collar was wrapped around the man’s hand, his neck at an uncomfortable angle as he was pulled to look up at him. He felt his knees giving out underneath him, falling to his knees with a shout.

“Wh...What did you… d...do to me…” Keith spoke out in breathes, letting his fingers grab and pull at the fabric covering Kuro’s chest. “W...What did you do… you fuck?” Keith tried his best to growl, to seem intimidating, but he could feel himself before drowsy. 

“You were so excitable.” Kuro says in a low voice, using his other hand to cup Keith’s cheek before fingers slid down to his jaw. “I had to give you something to calm down.” 

Keith began to notice a ringing sound as he tried to move away from Kuro’s hand but it was useless. He couldn’t even stop himself from falling to the man’s chest when he pulled too hard at collar, weak arms trying to push off his chest. He felt a hand across the back of his neck. “S...Stop.” Keith felt it then, another needle, his body unable to produce a gasp as he felt the burn of whatever drugs going into his body. 

“That one is a secret.” Kuro whispers before he pushes Keith off of him, the boy barely able to catch himself from the small fall. “I’ll be back for you… my kitten.”

Keith wanted to vomit at the name, glaring daggers at Kuro’s back as he leaves, the cell seeming darker than it was before. He didn’t even have enough strength to keep himself in his half sitting position, electing to fall to the ground, slowly closing in on himself. Keith didn’t even have time to think about anything before he was falling asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro and Keith meet Kuro, things only seem to get worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to give you all chapter 2 early because of all the kudos and comments. You all make me feel so special and happy c: 
> 
> I always appreciate comments and kudos!
> 
> Now, onward with the p

**Shiro**

He wasn’t sure if he was breathing or not anymore, his throat already hurting from screaming as he watched himself, as he watched someone who looked just like him abuse and  _ drug _ Keith. Shiro couldn’t handle it, whines leaving his throat as he watched Keith pass out on the ground, black hair falling around his face. He still couldn’t believe he was just watching another Shiro abuse Keith. 

Then there was a clicking sound behind him and light from the hall outside seemed to flood the room before the door was shut once again. “Nice view?”

Shiro’s stomach twisted when he heard the voice and  _ oh god _ he didn’t have to deal with this guy now too, did he? The black paladin craned his neck to watch as another him walked deeper into the room, closer to him. It didn’t look just like him though, something was… off. 

“Who are you?” Shiro asked as his eyes remained on the other him, watching as he rounded his chair and stood between him and the large window. “What do you want?”

Then the other Shiro kneels in front of him, eyes a bright yellow even in the darkness of the room. “You already know what we want Shiro.” 

_ The black lion.  _ “And you already know I can't give that to you.” Shiro said back, pulling against his restraints as he surged forward, caught just inches from the other Shiro’s face. “Let him go, he has nothing to do with this.” 

“Oh, Shiro.” The other man says, poking Shiro in the chest before standing, the black paladin moving back in order to keep eye contact with the other Shiro. “It's not gonna be that easy.” 

Then the other Shiro was moving away from him, opening the sight of Keith being chained to the wall. “W-Wait!” Shiro yelled, turning to watch the other man leave. “Let him go!”

The only response he received was the loud slamming and locking of the door as the other Shiro left, leaving him alone in his cell once again. He turned his attention back to Keith, the boy slumped against the wall and held by restraints around his wrists. His head has fallen forward, black hair swimming down his shoulders.  _ I need to get us out of here.  _

_ <> _

He wasn't sure how long he sat there and stared at Keith, watched as the boy's chest rose and fell. He coughed a few times, fingers twitching and whines escaping him before he finally threw his head back, hitting the wall with a soft  _ thud.  _

A groan left Keith as eyes slowly opened, squinting at first before fully opening. He looked around, took in his new position and swore just loud enough for Shiro to hear, head falling back against the wall. He then began to fight against the restraints as if he could break them. 

Shiro watched with clenched fists. How could they be doing this to Keith? Had the Galran empire really fallen this low? But then he remembers the tournaments while he was enslaved and guesses he couldn't be too surprised. 

Then Keith yells, desperate and angry as he falls back to the wall, bruises probably forming from where he was pulling at the restraints. The thought made Shiro whine. He hated this, hated being subjected to watching his fellow teammate… watching  _ Keith  _ be tortured. It felt like watching him die. 

**Keith**

He allowed his body to fall back against the wall, his chain restrains pulling at his skin. He could see blood. What the hell was he going to do? He had to get out of here somehow, but he can't even think of how he got in here. 

_ He watched Shiro go down, the voices from the helmet going silent as he ran towards him.  _

“God dammit.” He groans, trying to use his legs to stand. At full height, he could pull his wrists out just in front of his hips with his back pressed against the wall. He rolled his eyes.  _ This sucks.  _

His eyes were closed for just a minute as he leaned against the wall, but then the door was suddenly opened, Keith's eyes snapping wide and looking to who was at the door way. Hope filled his chest for a tick, just a tick, and then yellow eyes met his and his face fell into a scowl. “What the hell do you want?” 

Kuro walked further into the room, the door closing behind him slowly as Keith's eyes fell to the small bowl in the man’s right hand. “I just came by to give you a meal.” Then Kuro was in front of him and then he wasn't, or rather he was leaning down and placing the bowl on the before taking a step back. “Bon appétit.” 

Keith just stared at the man. “Fuck you.” He growled, almost taking a step forward before remembering he was held to the wall. “What is this some sick joke?”

“What you don't like my joke?” Kuro crosses his arms, a frown on his lips for a tick before turning back to that disgusting smirk. “Guess I’ll just have to feed you.”

A scowl was on Keith’s lips as he glared to the fake Shiro in front of him. “I rather starve."

Kuro was in front of him then, a sickening grin plastered on his face as he stood with the bowl in his hand, gooey gray stuff coating a black spoon. “Oh we can’t have that now, you need your strength for your transformation.” A soft hand was patting his cheek.  _ No _ . The hand was rough, fingers grabbing at Keith’s cheeks as he pulled away. 

The glare faltered for a moment, confusion on his face before anger set back in. “What are you talking about?” Keith demanded, pulling against his restraints. “What are you doing to me?”

Violet eyes watched with caution as Kuro leaned down again, pressing one knee to the floor as he set the bowl down. And then hes back up, metal hand grabbing at Keith’s throat, forcing his head to the side, neck wide and exposed. “S-Stop!” He yelled, pulling at the cuffs as if he could break them and force Kuro off of him. 

Then there was that pain again, a violent prick at his neck and a burning sensation coursing through his veins and just under his skin, the feeling reaching his fingertips. He yelped, body tensing at the intrusion. 

He could only watch as Kuro pulled away before his vision swam, objects blurring and mixing, colors becoming one blur. He felt like he was going to be sick. It only worsened as his back slammed against the wall, breath leaving in a choked gasp as his body gave out and he fell to the floor. Fingers and muscles twitched as a low groan sounded from Keith. “W-What… is… t-that…?” His body felt on fire.

“Time will tell.” Kuro spoke, yellow eyes narrow as they watched Keith, the boy struggling to stay focused on anything except the feeling in his body and the room spinning. “Eat up Keith Kogane. You need your strength.”

Violet eyes tried their hardest to stay focused as Kuro left, the door slamming behind him. His weight dropped to the floor suddenly, arms sprawled out. He swore he could see purple pinpricks on his fingertips. That could be his vision going in and out through.

_ Time will tell. _

**Shiro**

They did nothing physical to him, but he was tortured nonetheless. Watching,  _ hearing _ Keith made Shiro want to vomit. He fought against his restraints with everything he had, his own shouts of frustration matching with Keith’s screams of pain. Tears stung his eyes but they didn’t spill. 

He had to do something,  _ anything _ , he couldn’t just sit by and watch all this. No, he refused to. There had to be a way to get out of this chair. So he took a deep breath and felt his right arm tingle, and then… nothing. He cast his eyes down, watching as his bionic arm remain dull. Panic brewed in his chest.

Shiro tried again, closing his eyes to concentrate. He could feel it, a soft vibration, but when he looked to his arm, still nothing happened. What the hell?

“You think you’d be able to freely use your arm?” Grey eyes snapped up, meeting with another pair of grey eyes, only the other pairs whole eye seemed tinted yellow.  _ Like a Galran _ .

“Who are you?” Shiro asked himself-the other him-, lunging towards the other man, only able to move a few inches with the restraints. 

The other Shiro stood there, back against the glass and feet crossed at his ankles. “Who are you?” Tinted eyes met his own, a smirk creeping onto the other man’s face. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Shiro, confusion flooding his expression as he looking the other man up and down. “Why do you look like me?”

“Why do we look like each other?” The other Shiro asked, pushing himself off of the glass before taking a step towards the real Shiro. He asked it as his own question, as if Shiro could answer that. “You want to know a really good question?” 

Shiro just blinked and then the other man was there, hands like claws at his thighs, Shiro pushing himself back against the chair and the other Shiro’s face was _inches_ from his. He was silent though, gave no response to this clones question. Would the Galra had cloned him? Why?

“Where’s the  _ real _ one?” The smirk on the clones face made Shiro’s stomach twist, chest tight as he looked into yellow tinted eyes.  “Where’s Shiro?”

Blood ran cold through what felt like ice stricken veins, Shiro’s breath a hot gasp between the two. There was a pain in the back of his head, the clone’s words sending a panic through the black paladin. “W-What?” 

The other man just looked at him, eyed fluttered between his two, like he couldn’t decide which eye to look into. “If you’re not Shiro… and I’m not Shiro… where’s the real one?” He spoke in a voice that made the black paladin shiver, pushing as far into the chair as he could.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Shiro bit out, watching the clone grin beneath him. His fingers were digging awfully deep into his leg. “Get off of me!”

“Are your memories your own Shiro?” The man spoke again, and Shiro didn’t think he was breathing anymore, eyes wide with terror as he looked to eyes, his eyes, were those his eyes? They were gone though, Shiro taking in a sharp breath before falling forward, chest still tight. 

Shiro looked up, but the other man was gone completely now, the sound of a door closing and locking making him twist. Once again, he was alone in the room, turning his body to look back towards Keith. 

And Keith was there, lying on his side, chest rising and falling with stutters and coughs, fingers twitching and muscle seeming to do the same. Shiros chest  _ hurt _ , watching as the boy curled in on himself, as he covered his ears and groaned loud enough to make the black paladins breath shutter. He swore he could see purple coloring his fingertips, but it could have just been the lighting.

**Keith**

His body was sore, every muscle, every bone, every fiber of him was just _sore_. His neck was the worst, a burning sensation still flaring from the spot where Kuro had stuck him. Stupid Kuro. Stupid fucking Galra. 

Keith opened his eyes and took note of the fact he was lying on the floor, hands pressed to his chest as he curled in on himself. He didn’t move for a while, body shivering from the cold air surrounding him. Only his neck burned, the fire seeming to spread from the tips of his ears down to his neck and up his forehead. He pressed a hand to the strong headache brutally pounding against his skull, a low groan leaving him as he pressed himself off of the ground. 

That’s when he noticed the the purple pinpricks he thought he saw before he passed out weren’t fake, but very real and covered the tips of his fingers, not even passing his fingernails. He wanted to scream. He didn’t though, only looking down to his hands before bringing them closer to his face as he sat up. 

The very tips of his fingers were purple, the color moving down his finger only a little before it began to fade to his normal pale skin. It looked like the cells themselves were becoming purple, a few small pinprick standing out from the fade. He fisted his hands, feeling nails dig into his palm. He could still feel his fingertips, the skin soft as he uncurled his fingers, using one hand to touch the other, feeling the purple skin. It felt even softer somehow, like...fur. 

Keith recoiled, looking to the door before attempting to stand, falling to his knees a few ticks later as his legs refused to carry his weight. He caught himself with his hands, eyes snapping shut as he let out a harsh breath. The headache seemed to only worsen. He couldn’t help as violet eyes went to matching fingertips, feeling the ground underneath them. At least they weren’t numb. 

He sat on his legs, feet tucked behind him and hands resting on his knees. Another breath before he moved to sit against the wall, legs stretched out in front of him and head against the wall. Frustration was the only thing he felt as fingers ran through black hair, but that emotion quickly subsided when he came across a strange sensation just behind his ears. He couldn’t breath, it felt just like his fingertips.

It was almost impossible to crawl across the cold stone floor towards the large mirror on the opposite side of the wall. His body felt like lead, but he managed to make his way to the mirror, grabbing onto the small ledge and pulling himself up just enough so he was on his knees and could look into the reflective glass. 

The first thing he saw was his face, jaw sharp and violet eyes staring back at him. Keith used his fingers to pull his hair back before tilting his head up. He froze, eyes wide and breath non existent as shaking purple fingertips brushed against purple fur just under his ear, wrapping around the lobe and spreading out just like the fur on the tips of his fingers. 

Then the door opened, Keith’s eyes snapping to watch as a familiar figure appeared in the doorway. Anger surged through him. “ _ You.” _


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the pain continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! I'm so into this fic and I'm writing it so fast. The feed back is helping me so much!!! Thank you everyone for commenting! 
> 
> Enjoy chapter 3 of pain!

**Keith**

He launches himself at Kuro, fingers like claws as he aims to attack something,  _ anything _ . But it’s like the man was expecting it, grabbing Keith by the neck, the boys purple fingertips barely touching Kuro’s face. “I see the injections have been working.”

“What are you doing to me?” Keith growled at the man, hands moving to pull and claw at Kuro's fingers and wrist. He kicked at the man’s legs and tried to use his feet to push him away from Kuro. It was no use. 

Then he was thrown across the small room, back slamming into the wall, breath leaving him in an instant. Keith didn’t bother trying to catch himself, he couldn’t. He fell on his arm with a sharp pain vibrating through his shoulder, a groan escaping him as the room spun. He watched feet step towards him, unable to stop hands from grabbing him and pulling him up. Back pushed against the wall again, he felt Kuro;s arm pressed harshly against his chest, pinning him where he was. It took a few ticks but he was finally able to focus on the man standing in front of him. Yellow eyes were unrecognizable as they stared into him. 

“What? I thought you would want to embrace your Galra heritage.” Kuro speaks with voice like honey, only spoiled. Violet eyes moved down to a needle in the man’s other hand, an almost neon purple liquid sitting in the tube. “You’ll learn to accept it.”

Then Kuro was lifting his arm and Keith felt his stomach drop. “N-No, stop!” He yelled out, reaching out with his hands and desperately pushed at the man’s chest. “Get away from me!” It was no use though as the sharp sting of a needle pressed into his neck, the burning sensation present yet again, coursing through him like fire. He screamed, and it was raw and painful and  _ angry _ . 

When Kuro pulled away, he fell to the ground, back sliding down the wall as he landed with a soft whine. A hand pressed weakly to his neck, vision swimming as he tried to focus on the man kneeling in front of him. Violet met yellow and Keith almost growled, blinking rapidly as if it would help clear his vision. “You’ll be beautiful Keith.” Fingers appeared gentle as they ran down the red paladin's check to his jaw and neck. He pressed his back harder into the wall, as if he could escape the touch. 

“I’ll kill you.” Keith hissed out, using his small amount of energy to slap away Kuro’s hand. But then his face was roughly grabbed by a metal hand, fingers pressing too harshly into his skin. A whimper was trapped in his throat. 

“You would never.” Kuro moved closer, their faces inches as metal moved to Keith’s neck. The red paladin was once again pushing and hitting anything he could reach to try and get the man off of him. “ _Look at me_. You would never hurt your precious Shiro.”

A breath left Keith as he looked to Kuro, and it hurt because it was  _ true _ . He could never imagine hurting Shiro, not even if it was an evil clone. Still, he had think, he had to  _ remember _ , this wasn’t Shiro, it was a copy. 

“You’re not Shiro.” Keith hissed out, feeling teeth press against his lips. He doesn’t remember his teeth being that pointy. Violet eyes looked to his hands as they pressed against Kuro’s chest. The purple had made it’s way past his second knuckles. He felt a fire burning in his stomach at the sight of it. “You’re making me Galra.”

“My kitten, you already are Galra.” Kuro spoke, hand retracting from Keith’s face before standing. “I’m just making it more… noticeable.” A wicked grin appears on the man’s face and Keith wants nothing more than to smack it off. “With the help of Haggar of course. I could never do it on my own.”

“You’re sick.” Keith hissed out as he watched Kuro stand and walk to the door. He hissed sharply when Kuro turned back to look at him, yellow eyes gleaming with something Keith couldn’t name.

“Don’t forget twisted.” He said with a sickening smile before the door opened, light flooding in before the door closed and Keith was left in the dark again. 

**Shiro**

Days passed like this. Or at least what felt like days, Shiro couldn’t tell from his cell. He could only watch Keith, watch as his duplicate would violate and drug him, watched as purple fur spread up the boy's arms reaching just below his elbow. That wasn’t the only place though, the purple fur colored Keiths jaw and cheeks, looking like bruises forming on his face. White also seemed to spread from the boys black roots, bright and unnatural. He could also swear he saw what looked like cat ears hiding behind hair. 

Shiro still fought against his restraints, blood coating where the restraint had dug into his flesh on his left arm. His voice was raw from screaming, from watching Keith suffer and a man with his face cause it. Shiro felt absolutely helpless. He could only watch. 

And then one day it happened as he was half asleep, Keith sitting on the wall opposite of him, legs pulled to his chest and head resting on his knees. The restraints suddenly came off and Shiro snapped awake, pulling his wrists up and jumping from the chair and reaching for the glass. His hands hit it hard, but the glass barley shuttered under his touch. He looked to Keith, stomach in his chest as he banged his fists against the glass.

“ _ Keith _ !” He yelled, using all the force he could to hit to glass, to grab the other boys attention. It was satisfying when the glass vibrated from the force of his fists. What was even more satisfying was how Keiths head lifted from his knees, slowly, unsurely. Violet eyes drifted to the glass between them. “ _ Keith!!” _

The boy didn’t stand, not at first. Rather, he dropped his knees to the side, watching the glass with cautious eyes. Shiro just kept banging and banging, making sure Keith’s eyes  _ stayed  _ on the glass. The red paladin then pushed against the floor, as if he was trying to stand. It worked for a moment, his body falling to the wall behind him. Shiro’s fists paused on the glass as he watched, breath faltering for a moment before he sucked in a lungful and pounded against the glass again.

Then Keith was moving across the room, hands reaching out and grabbing at the small ledge at the bottom of the window. The red paladin stared but it wasn’t at Shiro, it was like his eyes focused on something else completely. The black paladins best guess is that he was looking at himself, since this was a one way window. Keith’s side of the glass looked like a mirror.

Shiro pounded his fists again, hard and violent. The red paladin flinched away for a moment, violet eyes wide and lips parted slightly. Shiro could see fangs forming from Keith’s canines. Purple arms were held close to his chest as Keith looked over the mirror again, letting them reach out and touch the smooth glass. Shiro mimicked the gesture, their hands hovering just inches apart from each other. His skin yearned to feel the boy’s skin, even if it meant purple skin. 

Then the door behind Shiro was opening and he turned to watch as light flooded the room for just a tick, a familiar figure standing in the doorway. 

“ _ Shiro _ ?” Keith’s voice was so small, and Shiro whipped around, their eyes meeting for a tick, just a tick, but then the room was dark again and Keith’s eyes seemed to unfocus. “S-Shiro!”

“Uh oh.” The other Shiro spoke as he stepped deeper into the dark room, Shiro’s deep brown eyes watching as the man moved. “He wasn’t supposed to see you.”

Shiro didn’t even have time to think before he was launching himself at the other man, hands grabbing at his neck to try and pin him down. But it seemed the other him was faster, catching Shiro’s arms and throwing him across the room. His back slammed against the wall facing the window, breath leaving him as he tried to quickly push himself up. But the other man was on him too soon, shoving him back down to the ground, a heel digging harshly into his chest. He let out a sharp yell, clenching his teeth as he grabbing the boot on his chest.

“I was even nice enough to let you out of the chair. Don’t go startling the kitten now.” The other Shiro spoke, the familiar voice making Shiro sick. He growled at the mention of Keith.

“Don’t call him that.” Shiro spat out as he pushed himself up just a little, but the foot was hard on his chest as he was shoved back down. “L-Let him go.” He tried for vicious again, but it was smothered underneath the other man’s boot.

“Where are the lions?” The other Shiro asked sharply, leaning down closer to him. “Tell me where the Castle of the Lions is and I’ll let Keith go.” 

Eyes flickered back to the window, Keith still standing on the other side of the glass, violet eyes wide and fists pressed hard against the glass. “ _ Shiro! _ ” Keith was banging on the glass, but he was much weaker, his fists not doing nearly as much as Shiro’s did. 

Brown eyes returned to yellow ones. “I… I can’t.” His chest felt even heavier, the foot pressed against it nothing compared to the guilt he felt. “I can’t do that.”

“Then he’ll continue to suffer.” The other Shiro hissed out before taking his foot off his Shiro’s chest, his chest rising as he took a deep breath. 

But it didn’t last long as a knee now pressed to his chest, this seeming to be worse than the foot. His eyes snapped open from being closed, which Shiro didn’t realize he closed, and watched as the other man hung above him with a syringe in his grasp, clear liquid in the small tube. “Don’t!”

There wasn’t even a tick between Shiro’s word and the sharp pain that invaded his neck. He let out a cut yell, feeling the effects of the drug immediately kick in, his vision fuzzing up and and limbs feeling to heavy to lift. He didn’t even notice as the other Shiro got off of him and left the cell. Shiro only laid on the floor as watched as Keith laid his head upon the glass, palms pressed to the window. 

He had to get them out of here. 

**Keith**

Keith leaned all of his weight on the mirror, hands pressed hard into the glass. He has to be going crazy, he  _ had to _ , because the mirror had begun shaking and he saw Shiro,  _ his  _ Shiro, through the mirror. Their eyes had met for a moment and then… he were gone. Keith pounded against the mirror, screamed for Shiro until he knelt in front of the it, forehead and palms pressed to the glass. His eyes were closed, not even bothering to move as he heard the door opened and close, foot steps drawing near him.

“What are you doing to me?” Keith bit out as he turned his head, looking to Kuro as he knelt beside him, their eyes level. “What else besides the… the fur…”

There was a hand on his cheek and Keith tried to pull away, he did, but it’s like the fingers were caressing his jaw line. It felt so  _ good  _ but it was Kuro and and the man was touching him and he wanted to pull back, to pull away. He couldn’t. 

“Your Galran genes are overtaking your human.” Kuro answers him, nails like claws as they gently scratched at the fur spreading underneath Keith’s chin. The red paladin couldn’t help the way his head tilted up, exposing his neck. He almost forgot about the collar on his around his throat as it rubbed against his collarbone. “It’s like… you won’t be human anymore.” 

Keith shoves Kuro harshly, eyes wide and panicked as he caught himself with his hands, breath in his throat as he stared at the other man. A hand flew up to his cheek, running to his jaw and neck before his breath left him in a gasp. “W-What?”

“Humans are weak.” Kuro spoke with a low voice before he was crawling closer to Keith, the red paladin sucking in a breath as he tried to crawl away, but Kuro was on top of him so quickly that Keith froze. “You’ll be so much stronger as a Galran.”

“No.” Keith spoke, his voice surprisingly even. “I’m human, not Gal-.” His voice halted as he watched Kuro’s hand come up, flinching as he was ready for some assault. None came, or at least, not a violent one.

Kuro’s hand was at his throat, gentle, thumb brushing the purple fur spreading across his jawline and down his neck. It held Keith in place, the boy terrified to move. He wasn’t sure he was breathing, violet eyes wide as they watched Kuro carefully. “You’ve always been Galran Keith, but…” Kuro looked away from him for a tick, but then yellow eyes were back on him before he could question the movement. “If you tell me where the lions are, I’ll make you completely human again.”

A whine left Keith, a fucking  _ whine  _ as the words leave Kuro’s lips. He didn’t want to look Galran, he wanted to purple to leave him skin, but… “I can’t.”

The gentle hand on Keith’s throat became violent, the boy’s breath cut off so quickly he didn’t have any time to think, clawing at the skin of the hand that trapping his breath. The room was already spinning, Keith’s heart pressing against his chest. “We’ll get Voltron eventually my kitten, and when we do, I might convince Zarkon to let you live.”

The hand on his throat loosened just enough for Keith to take in a lungful. “I… I’d rather… die…” It wasn’t a surprise when the hand tightened again, Keith already taking in a breath so he was a little more ready for it. Still, it fucking hurt. 

“It won’t be that easy.” Kuro spoke with a venom that paralyzed Keith. He just stared down at the red paladin, the boy looking back with scared eyes. And then he was gasping, not even bothering to hold himself up anymore as he used both hands to try and pry off Kuro’s hand. Tears sprung in his eyes as he gasped, mouth open and chest screaming at him.

“ _ P-Please. _ ” Keith begged, his voice not coming out but Kuro caught the motion of his lips, and it seemed to work because the paladin fell to the ground, vision going in and out as he tried to breath past a sore throat. But he was coughing, rolling onto his side and pushing himself up with one arm. He could still feel Kuro above him. 

He should have expected the hand to come back to his throat, Keith’s body flinching as he felt the contact. It was harsh, but it wasn’t choking him, just holding his head in place.  _ Oh no _ . He had no time to react before that familiar sting made him yelp, fire burning through him veins as his arm gave out, falling to the ground as the needle was pulled from him, Kuro taking his hand away.

He focused on black boots as his vision went black. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And you thought things couldn't get worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> This chapter isn't as long as usual, but I've been thrown through a loop with the hurricane(s) hitting Florida and having to evacuate, I haven't had much time to write. So I took what I had an made do with this filler chapter. More plot to come with the next update!
> 
> Enjoy reading my loves!

**Keith**

Keith discovered he could count the days by the number of injections. He fell into a weird routine of sleeping, touching the mirror that would vibrate every now and then, and being assaulted and drugged by Kuro. It was seven injections when the purple crept up his arm and touched his elbows, seven days for the purple to seep into Keith's cheeks and just under his ear. The ear itself seems to stretch and darken in shade. Fangs sat uncomfortably in his mouth, tongue catching and cutting on the new sharpened teeth.

It took eleven injections for Keith to discard the prison uniform, standing in front of the mirror as he stared at his naked body. A tail seemed to be sprouting from his tailbone, a sickening feeling washing over him as he continued his inspection. Both his arms and legs were covered in the colored fur, the purple seeping into his shoulders and hips, ears seeming less human and more Galran. Both his eyes were covered in purple, a yellow tint slowly taking over his violet orbs. The fur reached the corners of his lips, not covering his face completely, not just yet. His forehead was also still human skin, along with his torso.

After fifteen injections, Keith couldn't look at himself in the mirror anymore. There was no human feature left to him, his skin now purple fur, eyes glowing with a bright yellow that overshadowed his violet eyes. Large cat-like ears grew against black hair, the skin around them and his jaw seeming to become more and more sensitive. The tail grew into a longer one, fuzzy like a cats as it dropped to the ground and curled at his feet. His hand had turned to claws, scratching the floor and wall with frustration at the transformation, leaving deep, jagged marks behind. 

He didn't move from his spot by the mirror often, the glass seeming to vibrate less and less now. It made Keith's chest heavy, craving the small comfort that it gave him. He usually just sat there with his back against the mirror, tail curled around his feet as knees were pulled to his chest. 

Kuro called him beautiful, Keith felt disgusting. The other paladins would never recognize him, they would just think we was another Galran and kill him. Maybe they would never even come for him, leaving him to the Galra. Maybe it was better that way, Voltron didn’t need a Galran on the team.

It took eighteen injections before Keith could hear a commotion coming from just outside of his cell. The sound of Galran’s running and alarms blaring gave Keith a headache. He swore he could hear better now, maybe even see a little sharper, but he couldn’t test it out much as he was still trapped in this cell.

When the sounds began, the red paladin had been lying on the cold floor, arms stretched out in front of him before pulling them in closer, curing in on himself, tail wrapping around one ankle as his ears were tucked close to his head. He really just wanted Shiro. 

**Shiro**

Shiro discovered he could count the days by the number of injections they gave Keith. Once a day, around the same time. Him and Keith fell into a strange routine, the boy mostly stayed by the mirror, palm pressed to it as Shiro would hit the mirror with all his might, the glass shaking between them. He watched as purple spread down his fingers and hands until it hid beneath the long sleeves of the black bodysuit. After eleven injections, Keith finally discarded the prisoner uniform.

The fur hand crawled it’s way up the boy’s arm, fading into both of his shoulders, the fur on his shoulder blades fading in and out as they skin between and all the way down his back until his hips was still soft pale skin. Shiro could feel it against his palm as he pressed his hand to the window, watching as Keith pulled at his changing ears, at the tail sprouting from his back, as if he could revert it.

“You can change him back.” The other Shiro has told him once as he stood near the door, Shiro much to distracted by Keith breathing onto the window, fogging it up before writing or drawing something in it. 

When the other man spoke those words though, Shiro looked to him, tired eyes wide. But then he felt nauseous as he looked at the man. “If I tell you where the lions are.”

“You’re learning.” His clone spoke, moving closer to Shiro. The Galra hadn’t really been feeding or treating Shiro very nicely, his body becoming weak from malnutrition and countless drugs injected into him that make him feel as if he was going to faint, as if he was going to  _ die _ . It could all end though, only if he told the man where the lions were. “Look at the little kitten.”

Shiro’s eyes moved to Keith at the  _ disgusting _ name, the boy fingering Galran ears as a small tail wagged behind him. He couldn’t deny the name was fitting, but coming from  _ his  _ mouth made it sickening. But then Keith’s head snapped up just before the door bursting open and two Galran men walking in. They looked to Keith with taunting eyes as the door closed behind them. Keith fell back against his hands before he was edging away, back against the wall too soon.

“S-Stop it!” Shiro yelled looking to the clone beside him. Something evil danced within yellow orbs. He wanted to lunge at the other man, wanted to choke him, but he knew that his body was too weak and that it wouldn’t help Keith. So instead he bit it tongue, eyes turning back to watch as one of the men picked up Keith by the neck, the boy kicking and struggling to escape the grasp.

“You know how to stop it Shiro.” His clone spoke, their eyes meeting before they both looked to Keith. Another Galran circled Keith, coming up behind him and hooking his arms underneath the boys armpits. Hands roughly grabbed Keith’s head to keep in it place as the hand on his neck left. A sharp intake of breath filled Shiro’s lungs as a fist connected with Keith’s stomach, a grunt passing clenched teeth as the boys head was held in place. 

It didn’t seem like it was going to end, the Galran taking a step back as Keith leaned forward, blood dripping from his mouth as he whined, hair cascading down his face. He banged his fists violently on the glass, but then a glowing hand was to his neck before he could hit the glass again. 

“I thought I told you to break that dirty habit.” His clone spoke with a sickening smirk on his lips, the sound of Keith’s pain clear as they looked at each other. “There’s always one that flawed."

Another grunt and then… “What did you mean by the  _ real  _ Shiro?” He asks before he can stop himself, watching as the smirk on the others face turns to a large grin. 

“No one knows where the  _ real  _ Shiro is.” The man spoke with a voice that sent shivers down Shiro’s spine. The hand was still held to his neck, so he stayed perfectly still. “But there seems to be a bunch of  _ copies _ running around.”

“ _ Clones _ .” Shiro’s voice is quiet as his eyes look down, the word seeming to pull at something in the back of his mind. “They made  _ clones _ of me.”

“You mean,” the other Shiro spoke, leaning in closer, hand seeming to come even more uncomfortably close to him, “they made clones of  _ Shiro. _ ”

Shiro looked to the other him, to the  _ clone,  _ to the other clone? He snapped his eyes shut, breathing in as Keith’s shouts invaded his senses. But when his eyes opened again he could only look into a match pair of glowing yellow eyes,  _ no,  _ Shiro’s eyes didn’t glow. He was  _ Shiro  _ and he knew that. 

Brown eyes looked back to the small body falling to the ground as the Galran men let him go, taking a few steps back as if to give Keith room to breath. He watched as the boy spat blood onto the floor, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. Hands and knees were pressed to the ground as a thick purple tail laid against the ground, twitching with each cough that wracked Keith’s body, claws scratching against the stone floor.

“Just say the words Shiro.” The other man spoke, walking away from the glass window and towards the cell. “His suffering is in your hands.” The words came as a foot connected with Keith’s back, the boy falling hard to the ground. Shiro turned to look at his clone standing in the doorway, lighting coming in from the hall. “You decide when it stops.” Then he was gone, the only sound he could hear were those of pain coming from Keith. 

_ You decide when it stops. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Shiro are rescued, but things don't go as planned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH I'm sorry this took so long! I'm finally home and safe after Irma so I should be able to get back on a regular writing schedule.
> 
> I did make this chapter a little longer to make up for it. I'm also going to be adding on a few more chapters as a new plot device was suggested by a friend to make the story longer and more interesting. Hope you like it!
> 
> Comments make my day and really help me want to write this story so please keep showing your support!!
> 
> Until next time!

**Keith**

He was dying, that’s what it felt like when he had heard the commotion outside. The slightest twitch of his ear was his only response as he stared at the wall with a half-lidded eyes, vision unfocused as claws scratched against the floor.

It felt like days had past since anyone last came into the cell. Kuro must have better things to do then drug and torture him, same goes for those asshole guards. Keith could feel bruises forming on his chest and stomach from the violent attack. Blood still stained the floor from where he spat, a chill running down his spine at the memory. Legs were pulled closer to his center as the metal door to his prison began shaking with a force he’d never seen. 

Yellow eyes looked up just in time to watch as a familiar figure stood in the doorway, only this one didn’t send fear coursing through his veins. No, the exact opposite. And then their eyes met and Keith felt himself melt into the floor. He couldn’t bring words to his lips and he pushed himself up with weak arms.

_ Lance. Lance. _ His voice was stuck as they stared at each other, tears forming in Keith’s eyes but not spilling. Because Lance only stood there at stared at him with an expression of such disregard that Keith felt bile rise in his throat.

“I think you have the wrong cell Pidge.” Lance spoke to his helmet, hand grabbing the door before beginning to shut ut.

Panic arose in Keith. “W-Wait!” He yelled,  _ begged _ **_,_ ** but the door to his cell was already closing, lock setting back in place as silence filled the room. Keith felt like he had just been shot, tears spilling as he looked to the door. 

_ He didn’t recognize me.  _ Keith looked to his hands as his face ran hot, the purple claws shaking as did his arms, as did all of Keith.  _ Lance didn’t recognize me. _ A hand was over his mouth as a loud, broken sob left him, eyes shutting as he fell back to the ground, curling in on himself as he wailed. Keith was going to be left here, he would never pilot the red lion again. 

When the door opened again he didn’t move, only flinching at the sound as his eyes shut harder. There was a breath or two, Keith could hear voices coming over Lance’s comms as he just stood in the doorway again. 

Keith dared to look up, their eyes meeting and then…

“ _ Keith? _ ”

Another broken sob, louder, echoing off the thick walls as Keith didn’t even bother trying to cover it. “ _ Lance. _ ” His voice was rough, so rough, and raw and weak and filled with every emotion that Keith willed himself not to feel as he rotted in this Galra prison. There was no air in his lungs as Lance took a step forward, the door remaining open behind him. And then another, and another until Keith couldn’t take it anymore. “ _ Lance _ !”

Keith tried to stand, pushing himself onto his feet and taking a step before toppling over, Lance moving so quickly that the force of their bodies hitting each other as the blue paladin caught red would have knocked the breath out of Keith had he not already been breathless. His arms wrapped fiercely around Lance’s neck, burying his face there in the crook where he could just  _ revel _ in the scent of Lance. The feeling of arms around his back, steady and warm and  _ safe _ . Keith was  _ safe _ . Another sob left him. 

“Lance, Keith.” A voice spoke from the door, both of the boys attentions snapping to it. Shiro stood there, watching the two of them with cautious eyes. “We have to go.”

“Shiro? But Pidge and Hunk…” Lance said as he turned and looked to Shiro, giving Keith a good look at the black paladin and then…

“That’s not Shiro.” Keith spoke in a voice so urgent that it seemed to startle Lance, the boy looking back at him with wide, confused eyes. But then he heard something being said over the comms, something along the lines of, ‘we haven’t gotten Shiro yet’. “That’s… it’s not…”

Lance looked to Kuro again, their eyes meeting before Lance took a step back, pushing him and Keith farther into the cell as his bayard shone bright before forming his gun, pointing it at Kuro. It was astonishing how quickly Lance shifted, how his stance was immediately protective and defensive as soon as he knew this was not actually Shiro. 

“My, my, you’re quick to take his side.” Kuro spoke with that sickenly sweet voice that caused bile to burn at the back of Keith’s throat as he took a step back and collapsed to the floor. Lance spared him a worried glance before his eyes were back on the monster in front of them. Kuro only grinned at them. “I’m surprised you recognized him. Oh wait… you didn’t, did you?”

Lance’s grip tightened on the gun as he aimed at Kuro. “What did you do to him?” Lance hissed out, the tip of his gun shaking as Keith noticed the boy’s shoulder tense. Lance was scared. 

“I just gave him a makeover is all. He was starting to look weak and frail as a human.” Kuro spoke as he walked deeper into the cell, the door closing behind him as Lance took a step back, his heel bumping into Keith where he sat on the floor. “Don’t tell me you don’t think he is just adorable like that.”

“Who the quiznack are you?” Lance spat out, his stance faltering for only a moment as Keith’s hand grabbed at Lance’s ankle, as if just to  _ touch _ Lance. 

“A different version of your precious Shiro.” Kuro spoke as he took another step closer, forcing Lance to take another back. He stood directly over Keith, one foot planted in front of him and the other just to Keith’s side, shielding him from Kuro. “A better version.” When Kuro took another step, Lance didn’t move, he couldn’t. Not unless he wanted expose Keith to the other man. 

“We don’t need more than one Shiro.” Lance spoke, finger hovering over the trigger. Keith watched, and he knew that Lance wasn’t going to be able to kill Kuro. All three of them knew that, Kuro taking another step. “And we don’t need one like  _ you. _ ”

Kuro stopped, a hand raised to his chest in fake offense. “My, you’ve just met me and you’ve already formed a negative opinion on me  _ Lance _ .” The name sounded so wrong coming from the man’s lips, Keith and Lance both shuttering at the sound. Kuro seemed to take note. “Maybe I’ll just have to keep you here too. I wonder if the druid’s magic would work on someone who isn’t half Galra.”

“ _ No. _ ” Keith’s voice rang out, sharp and panicked as the image crossed his mind of Lance going through the same pain and torture he just went through. “Don’t you dare!” And then Keith was lunging at Kuro, a newfound  _ rage _ building beneath Keith’s surface as Kuro spoke of Lance. But of course Kuro caught Keith easily, tossing the boy into the mirror, the glass vibrating from the impact. A sharp yelp left Keith before he slid to the ground. 

That seemed to spark something in Lance before then he flung himself at Kuro, bayard shifting back to it’s smaller form as he threw a punch towards Kuro. The man easily dodged it, grabbing Lance by the wrist as twisting harshly. A shout of pain left Lance as he sank to his knees, bayard disappearing as his grip released. 

“Stop!” Keith yelled, pushing himself off the ground before limping over to the other two. 

“Let them go.”

Three sets of eyes shot up to watch as  _ another  _ Shiro stood in the doorway. Only this one was a total mess, blood coaxing his lips and nose, bruises lining his cheek and arms, blood leaking from what appeared to be fresh wounds. But his eyes,  _ Shiro’s eyes _ , looked to the three of them with something that Keith couldn’t decipher. Then Pidge and Hunk were standing behind him and Keith just  _ knew  _ that this was Shiro,  _ his  _ Shiro.

“ _ Oh my god _ .” Keith breathed out as Kuro released Lance, the blue paladin falling to the ground with a whimper as he grabbed his throat. Keith was quick to grab Lance and pull him away from the entrance as the other three stepped in, Kuro watching them all with a cautious expression. Keith and Lance were huddled against the wall, Hunk, Pidge and Shiro all blocking the doorway as Kuro stood in the far corner, arms crossed over his chest. 

“Who are you?” Pidge asks, but when Kuro looks to the three of them, his eyes land of Shiro. 

“Who are you?” Kuro repeats the question, only he tosses it at Shiro, the man stumbling back from it, eyes wide and panicked. Kuro took a step forward, and only Shiro took one back. “Have you told them  _ Shiro _ ?”

Both Pidge and Hunk moved protectively in front of Shiro as the air tensed even more, Keith’s hand holding Lance tight and shaking as everyone in the cell was quiet. Then all eyes were on Shiro, the man standing there with his breath caught in his throat, eyes wide with what some might call  _ fear _ . But they all looked back to Kuro, a kind of energy seemed to fill the room that seemed to flow through all the paladins.

“Hey fuck face.” Pidge restored, her bayard glowing green. “You’re not the one who gets to ask questions around here.” 

“Katie Holt.” Kuro spoke, and Pidge’s eyes flew wide, mouth opening just the slightest as a breath passed through them. “You look just like Matt. Too bad you’re never going to get him back.”

“Shut up!” Pidge yelled and charged at Kuro, but not before Shiro caught her by the arm, her glare fierce as she looked back. Their eyes met and Keith could see the way Shiro willed her to calm. When her eyes moved back to Kuro, they didn’t seem as murderous. Key word  _ as. _ “How do you know my brother and I?”

Kuro looked down to his body and back to Pidge with a grin. “Do you not see who I am?”

“We see who you’re pretending to be.” Lance rasped from where he curled against Keith, the two boys crouched on the floor, Keith using his body to protectively cover Lance, curling around him as Lance pressed hands to his sore throat. 

It was at that moment the other three paladins took notice of Keith and Lance and that Keith didn’t look like  _ Keith. _ Hunk was the one to ask.

“What did you do to Keith?” He said in a demanding voice, taking a step forward, passing Pidge. 

“I already explained this to Lance, I really don’t want to have to explain it again big guy.” Kuro spoke as he rolled his eyes, looking to his nails as if he was bored. That seemed to piss Pidge off more.

“Are you going to stop us from taking Keith?” Shiro asked, voice stern as all eyes went to him. He stood in the doorway just behind Pidge, arm glowing purple and humming as violent eyes met hostile. “Or are we going to have to kill you?”

“If you take Keith away from here, he will fall ill.” Kuro spoke, a smirk playing on his lips. It was obvious no one believed him. “You see, the injection’s he’s been receiving-.”

“ _ Injections _ ?” Three paladins spoke at once, but Kuro didn’t stop.

“-to help him transform are like a human drug. If you take him off too quickly…” He veered off, letting the paladins finish his sentence. It wasn’t like Kuro really needed to finish it for himself. The realization dawned on them all as they looked to Keith, his ears flat against his head and tail limp on the ground. 

“I’m going to ask again. Are you going to stop us?” Shiro asked, stepping more into the room, passing Pidge as he stood directly in front of the other Shiro. He knew that he was still too weak to fight him, but if he had to… 

“I haven’t figured that out yet.” Kuro responds, arms still across his chest as he smiled to Shiro. 

Yellow tinted eyes moved to watch as Pidge and Hunk drew near them, hesitant at first as they looked to Keith’s new form. He easily moved off of Lance, their eyes meeting for a moment before Hunk held a hand out to Keith. He took it without second thought, allowing his friend to pull him up and wedge an arm under his shoulders. Pidge helped Lance stand and they moved back towards the door. 

“Shiro.” Pidge called, eyes filled with concern as she watched the standoff between the two Shiro’s. But then Shiro looked to her,  _ their _ Shiro, and he withdrew, throwing one last glare at Kuro.

“We’ll meet again young paladins.” 

<>

Time was strange when Keith returned to the castle. It moved slow and then fast at random. Sometimes hours, minutes dragged on as Keith locked himself away in his room. No one bothered him, allowing him time and space to deal with him new… appearance. Allura hadn’t taken kindly to the new look, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Still, he could feel the way she looked at him.

And then there was everyone else who looked at him with pity, with caution. He wasn’t sure how to handle that either, but he knew for sure that pity was something he did not want thrown his way. So he spent his time recovering in his room, either lying in bed napping or staring aimlessly at the ceiling. He had gotten use to that.

It was only at night when everyone else slept when Keith would escape his room to eat, to go to the training deck and get some exercise in. He was having trouble with level one, frustration making tears well in his eyes. He decided training wasn’t the best thing for him right now. 

Other times he found himself just roaming the castle, the massive ship dead silent as the usual loud paladins all slept in their beds. Except for one. Well two. 

**Shiro**

Sleep was something foreign to Shiro when they returned to the castle, the quiet dark room reminded him too much of his cell, of watching Keith, of seeing him be  _ tortured _ … He just couldn’t do it. So he roamed the castle at night while everyone else slept, he could sleep at some other time, when the lights were on and he could hear the cheerful voices of his teammates. 

He didn’t expect to stumble upon Keith sitting in the middle of the training center, soft cries causing his shoulders to shake, Shiro standing there like he was seeing something he shouldn’t be. But then again…

Shiro strode up to Keith, watching as his ears and tails perked up when his footsteps became loud enough for the red paladin to hear. He quickly turned to watch as Shiro neared him and sat down besides him, giving Keith a moment to prepare himself by looking to his other side. Keith wiped his tears as fast as he could, sniffling a few times before Shiro finally looked at him. Keith was crying all over again, hands pressed to his eyes as sobs wracked his body. Shiro surged forward, placing a hand on Keith’s shoulder delicately. The boy flinched. 

“Don’t!” Keith almost shrieked, looking to Shiro with fear in his eyes. Shiro froze, panic rising in his chest as Keith looked to  _ him _ with  _ fear _ . “I… I see him when I look at you.” Keith said suddenly, as if feeling the need to explain his reaction. “I hate it, I  _ hate  _ it because it wasn’t you! You didn’t do this! But it’s your face and your voice and your hands and I can’t get it out Shiro!” Keith’s face had gone a deep purple, the fur seeming to darken as a blush would paint a human’s face red, tears streaming down his face as his voice grew as did the pain within it. “And I can’t sleep because it’s all I see! And I can’t distract myself by training because I’m so fucking weak and I’m shaking and I can already feel the withdraw sitting in like he said-.”

“ _ Keith _ .” It was one syllable, one simply word, a name, and Keith snapped back to himself, looking at Shiro with wet eyes and cheeks, breath in his throat as he cut off his rambling. “I saw it, I saw everything.” He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to tell Keith this, but he did. “He made me watch through this… one way mirror. I was in the room right next to you I  _ saw  _ everything, I  _ heard _ everything Keith and… I couldn’t do anything!”

Keith looked at Shiro with such an intensity and wonder that he felt breathless. “It was you.” The red paladin spoke, violet eyes searching brown as if they could find something there. “The mirror vibrating. It was you.” 

Shiro lifted his hands, his human one covered in bruises from where he hit the glass. “I had… I had to do something to let you know I was there. You couldn’t… You couldn’t hear me.” 

Shiro’s eyes snapped up when both his hands were taken by Keith’s, a sound of surprising leaving him as Keith turned his hand, examining the bruises forming. “I knew it was you.” Fingertips ran over the delicate skin colored purple and blue, and once again the red paladin left Shiro breathless. “I saw… I saw your face in the mirror once… I thought I was going crazy.” 

Shiro couldn’t help how his hands moved to Keith’s face, gently as he took in the new feeling. Soft purple fur tickled his fingers as Keith leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed as what sounded like a purr came from the red paladin. Both of their eyes shot open to look at each other, Keith in horror and Shiro… well… he couldn’t help but laugh because _ oh my god that was so cute. _

“I’m  _ me _ Keith. I’m Shiro, the real one,  _ your _ one.” Shiro’s voice was soft, he didn’t want to raise it in the large quiet area of the training deck. Although something pulled at his heart when he said  _ the real one _ . “You’re safe now, there’s no one here to harm you. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

Keith nodded against Shiro’s hand, wiping at tears in his eyes before sniffling. Shiro could see the light thumping on Keith’s tail against the floor, the end of the new limb flared out with soft purple fur. He really wanted to touch the fur, but he knew better. Keith needed space right now, even if he was pressed against Shiro and Shiro was cupping his face. This was different though, this was… them.

“Let’s go to bed, yeah?” Shiro asks, a soft smile on his lips. Keith only nods, allowing Shiro to help him stand and walk him most of the way back to the room before they both crashed on the bed, each of them trying to coax the other to sleep. It was a long night ahead of them, but they still managed to fall asleep tangled with each other, breathing in each others scent and reminiscing in the feeling of being  _ home _ . 

How long would it last?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though Keith may be back in the safety of the Castle of The Lions, he still finds it hard to cope with his new appearance and his sudden break of trust with Shiro. Luckily, Lance is there to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahaHAHA wow its been a hot minute. 
> 
> I have no excuse except for writers block of lost of interest. Without new episodes of Voltron, I kind of lost my muse and haven't been able to touch this. Luckily, with the new season, I've had a resurgence of muse, and my friends, it's time to get this Klance train back on track.
> 
> Welcome back to hell!!!!!
> 
> Enjoy your stay (;

**Keith**

It wasn’t long before Keith discovered that sleeping and waking with Shiro at his side wasn’t the best idea. Because in the early morning when yellow tinted eyes slowly open and take in the sight of Shiro, the sight of  _ Kuro _ , he’s back in the cell, he can still feel the collar around his neck. Keith would flee the room before Shiro even had a chance to wake up. That morning he told Shiro not to come and visit him for a while. The hurt was clear on Shiro’s face but he understood, and once again Keith was lonely in the large castle.

It was at night when it happened though, many hours past since the last paladin went to bed. Keith has been roaming the halls, as that’s the only thing that he wanted to do,  _ could do _ , nothing else felt right. He felt out of place, like he didn’t belong at the castle anymore, he didn’t belong in Voltron anymore. He found himself wandering towards the escape pods, except when he drew closer, footsteps sounded behind him. Someone was following him.

Panic filled Keith and he froze, ears perking up and tail doing the same as his fur seemed to fluff out. Who would be following him? Everyone was asleep, could someone have infiltrated the castle? Keith still didn’t turn when the footsteps stopped a few feet behind him. 

“ _ Keith _ .” 

The red paladin turned at Lance’s voice, looking at him with wide panicked eyes. He had been caught, did Lance know what Keith was trying to do? How long had Lance been following him? He wanted to ask, to accuse Lance of stalking him, but he could only look to the blue paladin as his tail dropped back to the floor and ears pressed against a mess of black locks. 

“Buddy, what are you doing out here?” Lance’s voice had that playful tone to it like it always did, but this time there was a tinge of worry too. It was apparent in bright blue eyes as well, a frown pulling at the boys lips. “You should be sleeping.”

“I can’t.” Keith spoke, his voice weak, barely passing between the two of them. Lance tilted his head a bit, a nonverbal ‘why?’. The red paladin let out a shaky breath, tail curling at his ankles. Lance took notice of the action, but his eyes quickly moved back up to yellow tinted orbs. “I just… I can’t Lance.”

“Hey.” The blue paladins voice was so soft around one word, a hand hesitant and gentle as fingertips brushed Keith’s shoulder, as if asking permission. When Keith didn’t pull away, the boy moved his hand to cover Keith’s shoulder, a thumb resting just against the crook of his neck. Keith couldn’t help but lean into the touch. “You don’t have to tell me everything in detail, but don’t shut me out, okay? I know you’re going through some shit, so let me be here for you.”

Keith just looked at Lance, the words spoken almost casting a spell on the red paladin as he stared to the blue one with conflicted eyes. He wasn’t one to express his feelings and push them upon someone else. He preferred to keep them bottled, to keep them to himself. He survived this long doing it, why couldn’t he do it now? Maybe it was the way Lance was looking at him or their closeness, maybe it was because Keith needed comfort and here was this beautiful boy ready to offer it. 

“I keep thinking I’m there.” Keith admits, and he’s not sure why, but it’s like those blue eyes hypnotized him. “I keep… I wake up and I’m still there Lance.”

Lance had this expression on his face that Keith couldn’t figure out, his eyebrows were knitted together, lips pulled into a line as a tinge of pain seemed to dance behind waterfall eyes. “Keith…” It was amazing how one word could convey such emotion, such pain in one small syllable. “Do you… Do you want me to stay with you?”

“What?” Keith was a little surprised by the words that had come from Lance, looking to him with raised eyebrows, a blush darkening purple fur as the blue paladin seemed to flush as well.

“I-I mean, if you like wake up or something and you think you’re still there and see me maybe… I don’t know… It could help.” Lance moves quickly to try and explain his question, the look on Keith’s face changing from surprise something softer, something affectionate almost. “Since I wasn’t… I wasn’t there.”

Keith wasn’t sure how to respond exactly, looking to Lance with a completely bewildered and almost lost expression. Words didn’t come to Keith’s mind immediately, and he could see that was having an effect on Lance, because the boy looked simply panicked. It made Keith’s words come out in a hurry.

“That’s a good idea.” He said softly, nodding his head a little as he watched Lance’s expression chance completely. It didn’t light up completely, but the worn look of worry faded, something softer replacing it. Whatever it was, it made Keith feel warm. 

“Do you… do you want to go back now?” Lance asked, his hand still resting upon the other boys shoulder. His fingers felt warm, and as he felt a slight tug, Keith let himself be slowly led by the blue paladin.

“Yeah… that sounds good.” The boy replied, voice soft as he was led by Lance back to his room, the doors opening with a swift  _ swoosh,  _ the light from the hall flooding in besides where two bodies stand in the way, silhouettes outlined on the floor. 

It took a moment for them to walk in, the blue paladin looking to the Galran boy as he could hear the soft  _ thud  _ of the boys new tail before looking back to the small room. Yellow orbs looked to Lance before the paladin looked back, their eyes meeting for another moment before Lance moved his hand to Keith’s wrist, pulling him into the room, the door closing behind them. He led the boy to the bed tucked in an alcove, allowing Keith to lay down first, blue eyes watching as the fur of purple moved back against the wall, opening a space for the blue paladin. 

“Y-You want me to- Are you sure? I was just going to sit in a chair or something-.” Lance begins to ramble, slits of yellow watching the boy. 

“Lance.” Keith cuts him off, but his voice was soft, tired. It hurt to just look at the boy, the blue paladin still getting used to the purple fur covering Keith’s skin and the soft ears that sat atop his head. Lance could see the boys tail just barely sticking out of the blankets, the fuzz at the end seeming to move without conscious thought at all of Keiths attention was on Lance. “Just come lay down.”

Lance only nodded, moving to the spot besides Keith, their bodies only inches as he feels the warmth coming off of the Galran. He watched as yellow eyes fluttered closed, forcing hims to stay open as he let Keith drift off. 

It was surprisingly quick, the way his breath veered off and softened, the way his ears slowly pressed against purple fur, his firsts that held the sheets with such force slowly loosened as sleep gripped him. Lance only watched, keeping his fingers at bay as he depreselty wanted to reach out and touch the boy, comfort him in any way. Maybe it was more than that. Maybe he just wanted to feel the soft fur against his skin, or maybe he just wanted Keith’s warmth. Either way, Lance laid in bed with Keith long after the boy fell asleep, only allowing himself to drift off once he knew for sure the Galran was asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith discovers that what he once thought could offer him safety now instils fear. Lance is there to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!!
> 
> I've been getting a really good muse for this, so hopefully I'll be getting a bunch of chapters up soon. I'm thinking of taking a twist on this that I hadn't thought about before? Hmm. 
> 
> Enjoy everyone! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!

**Keith**

He was alone in the room, cuffs digging into the skin of his wrists and fear sinking deep into him stomach. Why was he here? He was supposed to be back at the castle, he was supposed to be safe. Darkness touched every corner of the room, the only light seeming to come from Keith himself, the ground wet and cold and- wait.

“ _ They don’t want you. _ ” Keith’s head whipped at the voice, yellow eyes frantically searching the area around him as if he could find the source. “ _ You’re not you. Who are you? _ ” The voice was quiet, like a whisper that tickled Keith’s ear. It was always right behind him, even when he stumbled to his back from looking behind him too quickly, the haunting words still stung his ear. 

“No! You’re wrong!” Keith yelled back, trying to push himself off the ground, his body screaming at him from the movement. “I-I’m me! They… they know that. I-I’m not a monster!” The boy's voice is strained, tears stinging his eyes as he rises to his knees.

“Look at your hands Keith, who’s blood is that?” Kuro suddenly stands before him, eyes bright in the dim glow of the cell. His appearance startles Keith for only a moment before he considers the words he just spoke.

“W-What?” Keith breaths, eyes moving from the clone in front of him to his own hands, the wetness of the floor seeming to stick to his hands, fingers coaxed as he holds them up, blood trailing down his wrists and forearms as he holds them up. “N-No! I-I didn’t do this!” 

“Look at what you’ve done Keith.” Kuro spoke again, taking a step back, the darkness engulfing him. “You’re a monster.”

“ _ Keith. _ ” This voice is weak, strained, and comes from behind him. Not only that, but it sounds familiar, sickenly familiar. The red paladin is too terrified to even look at the source, the blood on his hands already causing him to panic. “ _ Keith… _ ”

Slowly, Keith turns his head, allowing his light to show him the horror behind him. “No.” 

Lance stands behind him, blood seeping from a wound shaking hands press against. Red stains the blue paladins shirt, an ungodly amount flowing out of him, covering his shirt and dripping to the ground below him. “Keith… why?”

“No. I-I didn’t… I didn’t do it!” Keith yells, trying to push himself off the ground, but his chains seem to be attached to the ground now, restraining his movement. “Lance!”

“Why did you kill us?” The boys words are soft, barely a breath as he takes a step towards forward, his foot leaving a bloody print behind. “Why would you do this?”

“Lance! I-I didn’t! Please!” Tears spill from Keith’s eyes as he watches the blue paladin take another step just before collapsing to his knees just out of reach from Keith. At a closer look, the red paladin could see scratches and cuts all over Lance, blood covering his hairline and neck, a gruesome scene painted over such a soft boy. “I-I can’t hurt you Lance! Please! I didn’t- I could never hurt you. Lance,  _ please! _ ”

The blue paladin didn’t speak, instead only coughing, blood flying from his lips as he fell to his hands, a whine coming from him as he falls to his side. Blue eyes looked to Keith, watching as he struggled against his restraints, screaming as if it could help in any way, as if he could save the boy just by his name. 

**Lance**

The blue paladin hadn’t really been sleeping when it happened, his half open eyes watching the ceiling when Keith’s breath suddenly changed. Lance took notice immediately, pushing himself up with an elbow to get a better look at Keith. Sweat stuck the boys newly white hair to his forehead, lips parted as he panted lightly, groans and whines leaving him as fists grabs the sheets, the fabric ripping form sharp claws. 

“Keith? Hey buddy?” Lance spoke with a gentle voice, a hand coming to touch Keith’s forehead, the fur hot and wet as the red paladin seemed to move into Lance’s palm. A soft murmur came from parted lips, the boy moving his head closer to get a better listen.

“ _ I didn’t do it… please… I didn’t…. I didn’t do it… Lance… please… _ ” Keith speaks between breaths, Lance’s stomach dropping at the quiet pleas. 

“Keith, come on bud.” Lance spoke again softly, fingers running through white hair before moving to the boy's shoulder, shaking lightly. “Wake up, you’re okay.”

“I didn’t… I didn’t do it… Lance… Lance!” Keith begins yelling, claws digging into the mattress itself now. The boys eyes move rapidly underneath closed eyelids, breath becoming more more harsh, more rigid. Lance swore he could see tears falling from Keith’s eyes in the dark of the room. “ _ Please _ !”

“Keith!” Lance shouted this time, shaking the boy a bit more roughly. “Keith come on!” He yelled again, a hand coming to hold Keith’s face gently, finger running over fur colored cheekbones. “You’re okay, I promise! Y-You’re safe! Keith! You’re safe!”

“Lance!” Keith gasped as his eyes snapped open, bright yellow orbs staring straight up as the red paladin gasped for air. It was only a moment before his eyes moved to Lance, yellow meeting blue for a moment before Keith launched himself at Lance. 

“W-Woah!” Lance gasped, trying to keep the both of them from falling off the bed, one arm behind him keeping them up while the other worked its way around Keith’s lower waist. “Hey bud, it’s okay.”

Keith didn’t speak, fingers gripping Lances shirt, as if he needed to hold onto something. Lance could feel the wetness building on his shoulder, soft sobs muffled by the fabric of the blue paladins shirt. He wasn’t sure what to do, but he knew he had to do something. So he held onto Keith as tightly as he could, letting the boy shake and sob against his figure. His hands slowly worked their way through the boys hair, fingertips brushing against purple ears as gently as they could. They twitched, but came back to Lance’s fingers after a tick. 

Keith pulled away suddenly, fingers gripping harshly at Lance’s shoulders, eyes wide and wet as he gaped at the blue paladin, yellows looking at Lance with what he could only describe as disbelief. “N-No…I thought… I thought I… that you..” Keith lets out as his fingers shake as he grip Lance. “You were bleeding.”

Lance’s eyes go big at that, confusion hitting him like a train before his mind put two and two together. “Hey Keith, it’s okay. You were dreaming. I’m okay, I’m fine.” The boy lets his words soften, allows his hands to move to Keith’s face as he gently holds the boys face, wiping at the tears falling down his cheeks. 

Shaking hands move to Lance’s shirt, gripping at the soft fabric as if to make sure he was real, that he was awake and no longer dreaming. Lance’s heart sunk at that, at the panic and fear painted across Keith’s face, ears pressed flat against white hair as yellow orbs searched the blue paladins face. “I-I thought I hurt you.” The red paladin spoke, fingers moving to the bare skin at Lance’s neck. “I thought he made me hurt you.”

“You won’t.” Lance spoke softly, yet with firm at the same time. A hand soothed frayed white hair down, fingertips touching the soft fur at the base of Keith’s neck. “I know you won’t Keith.” 

Keith didn’t respond to that, only allowing another huff of breath before tears came back to his eyes, hands pulling himself back into the grasp of Lance, head pressed against the blue paladins chest and hands shaking as they grabbed the boy. 

Lance soothed the boy, tucking Keith more into his body, his chin resting atop a mop of white hair, purple ears brushing against his cheeks as Lance laid them both back down, his body pressed against Keith’s, legs tangling as the blue paladins arms snuck around the red’s waist. “It’s okay, I have you. You’re safe now.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith have to deal with Keith's withdraw.

**Keith**

The days were long, but the nights were even longer. Nightmares plagued his every sleeping moment, waking him at night with sweat wetting his fur, claws digging into the mattress and ripping it. Tears always stung his eyes, throat raw from screaming and chest heavy from panic. Not only that, but it seemed the withdraw that Kuro spoke of was worse than what Keith could have imagined. 

It started with his fingers and ears twitching. Lance was the one to notice it first as they were sitting in the kitchen eating space goo, his azure eye flickering between Keith’s ears and hands. The red paladin didn’t think much of it, at least, until Lance reached his hand out and gently touched the boys hand. Keith could feel the warmth of the blue paladins hand atop his, gold orbs looking to tanned skin before moving to meet azure. “What is it?” 

“You… Are you feeling okay?” Lance asks, voice as gentle as the hand atop his. Concern was painted across his face, a line pulled between his brows and a soft frown pulled at his lips. It made Keith’s heart flutter to see the concern on his face, but his stomach dropped at the question.

He thought about it for a moment, taking a breath and realising that it stung a bit, chest tight. Only now did he feel the way purple fingers moved under smooth hands, the hair atop his head moving slightly with each twitch of his ear. Panic rose in his chest as he looked to Lance, eyes wide. “I-I don’t… I don’t know.” Keith shook his head, his ears pressing flat against his head as he looked away. “I don’t know anymore Lance.” His whole body just felt weak and groggy, his body trembling all at once.

Keith could still feel the boys eyes on him, fingers moving ever so gentle atop his shaking ones. Claws dug into his palm as he fisted his hand, trying to keep fingers from trembling so much. It was useless though as his actual fist began to shake, breath catching his in through. 

“That’s okay.” Lance suddenly spoke, his voice barely heard above the sounds of the ship. Golden orbs moved to blue as his wrist began to twitch, tears welling in his eyes as he tried to pull himself away, but found he couldn’t. “We’ll figure it out Keith.”

The red paladin nodded then, allowing himself the small comfort the blue paladin offered. What had followed was much worse.

Keith woke up two days later with fire crawling through his veins, voice raw as he screamed for it to stop, for someone to make it stop, for  _ anything _ . He tried to claw at his skin, trying to see if he pierced his skin then maybe the fire would escape, but Lance was there. Lance was always there. When he awoke from his nightmare, the bright yellow eyes of Kuro sending panic through him just before his eyes snapped open to the dull room. 

Sweat drenched his short fur, hair wet and sticking to his face as he woke, claws digging into the mattress. His entire body ached, the worst was his neck, the fire seeming to spread from there and crawl into the rest of his body. Keith was screaming before he realised it, body thrashing against the bed as tears sprung from his eyes, breath faltering as he gasped for air. Every muscle in his tensed then loosened all at one, his body shivering from his rising fever. 

Lance was there though, his face appeared above him in a moment, panic clear in his eyes as cold hands touched Keith’s burning cheeks. The red paladin leaning into the touch without thinking, a whine escaping his lips as his screams quieted and turned to whines and groans. His entire body shook, the bed creasing as Lance leaned on the bed and took Keith against his chest, a gentle hand coming to lay atop sweat drenched hair, fingers barely touching his ears as the red paladin buried himself into the blues chest. 

“I-It hurts…” Keith whined out after he caught his breath, hands fisting in the fabric of Lances shirt. “Everything  _ hurts _ .” It wasn’t long before sobs came out of the red paladin, his body weak and tired as he let himself be held by Lance, despite the ungodly amount of heat created between them. 

“I know.” Lance soothes, hand atop his head stroking down before coming back up, repeating the motion a few times as the boys sobs softened to small whines and shaky breaths. Still, the fire moved beneath his skin, body shaking from the heat leaving him and muscles spasming. If this is what Kuro meant by withdraw, then Keith would must rather finish his course of injections.

A sharp pain stung his neck and ran down his spine at the thought of the injection, at the rough hands pulling at his hair and neck. He shivered again, harder this time, a sound even coming from Lance at the jolting movement. The blue paladin seems to pull him closer at that, whispering something under his breath was was supposed to be soothing Keith. It worked though, feeling the fire lessen under his skin. The fire still moved through him, but it didn’t hurt as much. 

It wasn’t long before Lance had calmed Keith down enough to lay him back in bed, body shivering as the blue paladin pulled the blanket up to cover the red one. This time Lance sat on the edge of the bed as opposed to the chair besides the bed. They were quiet for a moment, Keith trying to steady his breath as he felt fingers moving through his hair and caressing his ears. It was weird having them be touched, not use to his ears being touched just quite yet, but with Lance… it was different. 

Golden eyes moved to the boy sitting besides him, body still trembling underneath the sheets. “I named him Kuro.” Keith suddenly spoke, catching the other boys eyes rather easily. Confusion was clear in Lance’s eyes, so the boy decided to continue. “The one… the clone of Shiro that was… at the place with me… I started calling him Kuro…”

Lance nodded, as if he was taking in every word that Keith said with such attention that it honestly surprised Keith. Still, he sat there quietly, hand still gentle as he ran them through white locks. He nodded, as if to allow Keith to continue.

“He came in… every day to… hurt me, beat me… then he started these inject… injections.” Keith began, his breath cutting himself off as his body shook. He could feel the bed beneath him wet from the sweat coming off of him. “It took a while… but… at some point… they started to… they started to change me…” He continues, claws digging deep into the mattress as he gasped for breath, tears welling and spilling from his eyes. “It made me… it made me this… and now… I can’t… I can barely live…”

“Keith…” Lance spoke softly, moving to lay beside the red paladin, the boy instantly moving towards him, hands grabbing at the fabric covering the blue paladins chest. Arms moved and snaked around him, pulling him even closer to Lance, his face burying in the boys neck. “You’ll be okay Keith, I promise.”

<>

**Shiro**

Feet were firmly planted on the ground as he looked to the door in front of him, hands fisted at his sides as brown eyes looked to his shoes. He knew he shouldn’t be here, that his presence wasn’t going to help Keith and yet here he was standing in front of the door to his room. Still, he had yet to knock, yet to allow whoever was inside to know that he stood right out the door. Even then, he could hear the cries and whines of Keith from behind the door, but he could hear the gentle voice of Lance as well.

He knew Keith was in good hands, that he was safe now that they were back on the Castle of the Lions, but still, Shiro couldn’t help but worry. All he could see was the boy in the cell, weak, defenceless, with that clone putting his hands on him and sticking him with needles. Shiro couldn’t sleep without seeing the boy beaten and drugged, watched as all he could do was bang against the glass as blood spilled from Keith, as he laid on the floor  _ dying- _ . 

A breath and Shiro was back in front of the door, looking to the metal before taking a step back. It wasn’t the right time yet, Keith wasn’t ready to see Shiro yet, not after everything his clone has put him through. 

So he took a step back, head down as he took another moment before turning on his heel, just before the sound of the metal door opened behind him. His stomach dropped as he turned, expecting to see the new face of Keith, but instead Lance walks out, a tired expression on his face as the door closes behind him. It only was a second before the blue paladin moved his focus to him.

“Shiro.” Lance spoke, the tiredness seeping into his voice as he turned his body and took a step towards him. “You shouldn’t… He isn’t ready-.”

“I know.” The black paladin replied, cutting Lance off before he could even finish. It was obvious to him that Keith wasn’t ready, because whenever the boy is ready, he’ll come find Shiro. But for now… “I just… I wanted to check on him.”

Lance sighs then, a soft one that is followed with a gentle smile and soft hand upon his shoulder. He wasn’t expecting Lance to be on him so suddenly, the gesture startling him with a breath, but he stood still. The blue paladin always seemed to be the one comforting others, which Shiro couldn’t help but admire. “I’ll let him know.”

“How is he?” Shiro questions, looking back to the door for just a moment before they went back to Lance. The look on the boys face made his stomach drop and chest tighten. 

The blue paladin takes in a breath, averting his eyes at first before meeting with brown ones once again. “He’s… in real bad shape Shiro. The withdraws are really bad, he’s shaking and he’s got this fever that makes him sweat like crazy. I don’t… I don’t know what to do.” Tears sprung in Lance’s eyes, and it hit Shiro then just how much of a toll this was taking on the paladin.

Shiro takes Lance in his arms then, wrapping the boy against his chest and cradling the back of his neck with a hand. It was almost instant that Lance began to break, fingers grasping at Shiro’s shirt as he took in a sharp before before a sob came out. The sound stung Shiro’s chest, holding the boy as close as he could before he felt arms push him away. 

Lance wipes at tears before Shiro could really look at them, the boy sniffling before making eye contact. “He’s asleep for now… I was going to get myself some food real quick.” Blue eyes moved away just before a breath left him. “He’ll be okay Shiro.” Lance says then, voice soft and soothing before he gives a quick nod and turns away.

“I hope so.”


End file.
